Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday June 16th and 17th written by Joe Slomka
This is the Skywatch Line for Monday and Tuesday June 16th and 17th written by Joe Slomka.
The Sun sets at 8:36 PM; night falls at 10:53. Dawn breaks at 3:00 AM and ends with sunrise at 5:17.
Eastern Aquarius hosts the Moon on both nights. Monday’s rises at 12:03 AM, 2° high, minus 10th magnitude, appears 31 arc-minutes, appears 56% illuminated and sets at 10:24 AM. Tuesday finds it rising at 12:26 AM, 5° high, slightly bigger and sets at 11:35 AM; Wednesday’s moon rises at 1:46 AM.
Asteroid 4Vesta is located in the Southeast, rising at 4:54 PM, 6th magnitude, 96% lit, 37°, highest at 10:36 PM, 3° high in the West and sets at 4:22 AM.
Evening features only 2 planets, with Jupiter too close to the Sun and Uranus not visible.
Western Mercury in Gemini makes an evening appearance, it rises at 6:36 AM, glows with minus 1st magnitude, 6 arc-seconds, highest at 2:18 PM, 19° high, 72% lit and sets at 10 PM.
Mars in western Leo, rises at 10:33 AM, 1st magnitude, 5 arc-seconds, highest at 5:22 PM, 91% illuminated, 44° high and sets at 12:12 AM. Monday, Mars encounters Regulus at 2 hours after sunset when they are 0.8° apart. One hour after sunset Tuesday, they repeat with Mercury adding to the lower right of the Mars-Regulus pair.
At Dawn, by 4 AM Venus appears in Aries, rising at 3:03 AM, blazing with minus 4th magnitude, highest at 9:50 AM, appears 20 arc-seconds, 58% illuminated, 3° at 4 AM and sets at 4:37 PM.
Eastern Saturn shares Pisces with Neptune. Saturn rises at 1:29 AM, 1st magnitude, appears 17 arc-seconds, highest at 7:23 AM, 17° high and sets at 1:15 PM; Saturn lies 2° from Neptune. Neptune rises at 1:27 AM, 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, highest at 7:24 AM, 17° high and sets at 1:21 PM.
Observers with large telescopes can observe Dwarf Planet Pluto in Capricornus. It is found in the South, rises at 11:11 PM, 14th magnitude, 1 arc-second, highest at 3:41 AM and sets at 8:08 AM.
Several dim but lovely constellations are sandwiched between brighter Pegasus, Aquarius and Cygnus. One of these is Delphinus, the Dolphin. It looks like a diamond with a tail and replicates a dolphin leaping out of the water. It is found midway between Pegasus’ and Cygnus.
There are two Greek myths about Delphinus. One states that Arion, a rich poet, was threatened by covetous crewmen, while he was traveling. He was flung into the sea and was rescued by a dolphin, which carried the poet to the Greek coast.
Most star names are derived from legends or description. Delphinus is an exception. Its two brightest stars, Alpha and Beta, were subjects of a practical joke. Italian astronomer Niccolo Cacciatore, decided to give them proper names. In Latin, his name read “Nicolaus Venator”. He assigned the name “Sualocin” to Alpha, and “Rotanev” to Beta. These appellations are “Nicolaus Venator” spelled backwards. The practical joke stuck! These are accepted proper names for Alpha and Beta Delphini.
Clear Skies Joe Slomka